Grand Tower Mining, Manufacturing and Transportation Company Site
Also known as: Devil's Backbone Iron Furnaces
Why it's listed
Along the western face of the Devil's Backbone ridge in Grand Tower, Illinois, the remains of beehive-style coke ovens survive in what is now a public park. They were part of the Grand Tower Mining, Manufacturing and Transportation Company, which grew out of the Mount Carbon Coal Company and took its new name by act of the Illinois General Assembly in 1869. The ovens produced coke, used in smelting iron, and the coke was probably carried by rail to a blast furnace about a mile south. A 1978 survey found ten exposed ovens and evidence that perhaps 35 remain, along with foundations of three buildings and a smaller structure on the ridge top. The company faced strikes, a lawsuit, a fire, a financial panic and a flood, entered trusteeship in 1874, and abandoned the ovens in 1892. The site is considered significant as the last visible trace of an industry that gave Grand Tower the nickname "Pittsburg of the West."
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the ovens are the last remaining relics of a once very large iron industry that earned Grand Tower the nickname "Pittsburg of the West" in the 1860s and 1870s. The company's iron reportedly won awards, including first prize at an 1876 World's Fair. The site is described as the only tangible link to a company central to the history of this part of southern Illinois.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 79000839, listed April 13, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Devil's Backbone Park, Grand Tower |
|---|---|
| County | Jackson County |
| Listed | April 13, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000839 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific date 1869) |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Historic - Non-Aboriginal |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is described as quite deteriorated and in ruins. The ovens were abandoned in 1892, and the site is now within a public park owned by the park district. |
| Acreage | 23 |
| Coordinates | 37.63603, -89.50886 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 79000839.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16891860
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.